Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-05-09
THE FLOWER GARDEN.

Now that the spring with its sunny
days is fairly opened the time for
looking to the flower garden is come.
Those who'have plenty of money with
which to purchase everything required
can easily possess a large or small
garden.
But let me ask if the wealthy are
not inclined to OverdO this matter of
a flower garden? One sees their
grounds crowded with all the rare
and costly tropical plants which are
beautiful, but violate the law of har
mony by being grown out of their ma
tive climate and surroundings. A
palm and a maple will not harmonic
for neither is a native of the home of
the other. A graceful, nOdding fern
is just as beautiful as the palm, only
it is less fashionable it also possess
es the advantage of being indigenous
to our climate and able to stand the
long cold winters without extra care.
Where one has a greenhouse filled
with rare eXotics, a palm is not out
of place.
Many people whose means are linn
tied, laborers, mechanics and clerks,
think because they cannot emulate
the wealthy that they cannot enjoy
the beauties of flowers. In no field
is the chance for enjoyment so broad
as in this. A few cents even, judi
ciously expended, will furnish the eye
with feast for the entire season. No
one is so poor but their table may be
graced with a bouquet.
All know the vernal beauties of the
May flowers, that push their heads al
roots transplanted to pot or a bed
will furnish blossoms throughout the
summer. All they need is a little
care and fertilization.
Any tradesman who keeps seeds
can supply you with the morning glo-
ry, mignOnette, nasturtiums, asters,
and so on through the list of common
ly cultivated plants. Your friends
can furnish you with slips from the
various kinds of geraniums which
make excellent center pieces. Around
these in parallel lines may be massed
other plants of different colors. Right
here is where most people lose half
the beauties they might get from their
flowers. They scatter them too
much. They must be massed to
bring out in greatest perfection the
beauties of their coloring. To sue
cessfully carry out the plan of mass
ing perhaps the best form of bed is
that of a diamond with triangular
sections cut off by narrow walks from
each sloping side of the figure. This
virtually gives it the form of a square.
Now plant alternate rows of white
and all other colors possible to oh
tain. In the center of each bed place
some graceful plant either with or
without blossoms, but whatever you
choose let it be one of ample foliage,
the deeper hued green the better.
Close beside or around this plant let
the flowers be of some bright color
and show very little except the bios
SONS. Next to this white blooms and
so on alternating white with the 9TH
er colors, but always let the border
ing of your bed be white. Scarlet,
crimson, pink, blue, purple and green
are surely sufficient variety of color
ing to crafty any taste. If your
house has a porch vine should be
trained to Chamber over it in gentle
folds of misty greenness. Do not
think you must send to some distant
place for the roots. The Virginia
creeper, or five-leaved-ivy, common
over all our land, cannot give better
picturesque effect. In the autumn
this will give you masses of scarlet
foliage long after the bright colored
flowers are dead. This vine, too, has
the advantage of needing no looping,
for its tendrils cling with great
strength to whatever object comes
within its reach.
The Chinese wisteria is a beautiful
vine but far less hardy than the for
mer. One species has large clusters
of brilliant scarlet blossoms which
form a delightful contrast as they
mingle with the deep germ of the
thick foliage. Not always from for
eign states come the most lasting of
our pleasures. Our flowers can be
procured anywhere. One of the most
beautiful flower yards / ever saw
had nothing but native plants. One
bed was composed of wild blue and
white violets so common over all New
England in spring time. These with
an occasional root of the dog violet
gave ample return for the labor ex-
pended in cultivation by continual
masses of bloom. Mass them if you
wish to see how beautiful they are.
The simple forget-me-not is a delicate
plant for a bordering, not ranking |
second to the famous mignonette. for |
that purpose.
Most persons prefer some few fash
iOnable flowers, often ignoring the /
fact that they are from some warmer
cline and need to be fostered with
the tenderest care to yield adequate
returns for cultivation. Not always
are our humble little friends neglect